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Join Date

Feb 2011

Location

Fort Myers Florida

Posts

92

Swapping out stock snare heads for new

I got my first drum set a Pearl Sound check, I wanted to get a new head for my snare, should i also get a new bottom head or can i still use the stock bottoms and still get a decent sound from it. Thanks for any input.

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Join Date

Dec 2010

Location

Moore, OK

Posts

509

Re: Swapping out stock snare heads for new

My opinion is yes. I used a stock bottom for quite a while, and it was fine. It is really going to depend on the condition though. If it is in good shape, I say you are fine. Of course, if you can afford a new one, go for it.

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Join Date

Apr 2010

Location

New Jersey

Posts

1,497

Re: Swapping out stock snare heads for new

Originally Posted by Bonebreak

My opinion is yes. I used a stock bottom for quite a while, and it was fine. It is really going to depend on the condition though. If it is in good shape, I say you are fine. Of course, if you can afford a new one, go for it.

+1. If the drums is a few years old and you've never changed either of the heads, then I would say change both. If it's not that old and you just want to get a better sound, then you can get away with just changing the batter head. Don't forget about the resonant head, though. You'll definitely want to go back and change that at some point.

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Join Date

Jan 2009

Location

Michigan's Upper Peninsula doncha kno

Posts

3,258

Re: Swapping out stock snare heads for new

The batter head is by far the most important of the 2 heads as you already know. The reso side has a minimal total affect on sound. There is a difference, but unless you have dog ears, you won't be able to detect much of a difference.

Re: Swapping out stock snare heads for new

Its always late in the game before this gets posted, but...... unless you are going to buy a DIFFERENT head than the one you have, its not going to change anything.

Who makes the head? What is it?

Many makers use Remo Coated Ambassador as a batter. It will be stamped Pearl or Sonor or whatever random drum company built the snare. It might not identify itself as a REMO. But if you go buy a Remo whatever, you got the same head. It is still the same sound, the same everything.

And if you do have a real drumhead on that snare....... changing it isnt going to make it sound good, unless you can make it sound good.

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Re: Swapping out stock snare heads for new

Thanks for the input, the snare drum is brand new the stock head doesn't sound good to me i will get the batter head first and see how thats sounds.

Originally Posted by greyghost86

I got my first drum set a Pearl Sound check, I wanted to get a new head for my snare, should i also get a new bottom head or can i still use the stock bottoms and still get a decent sound from it. Thanks for any input.

welcome to DC buddy :D i never change the bottom heads, that just takes more money outta the bank :S but i dont really notice much difference

'Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out in your drumming'

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Re: Swapping out stock snare heads for new

How much playing time is on the original head.
How and who tuned the drum out of the box.
What tuning has been done with it since you started.
How exactly is it tuned now.

Well i just got it it has a stock pearl head on it... I'm playing it tuned the way i got it. I'm new to drumming and don't know how explain how it is tuned right now but the set follows well, my friend told my stock head are not that great and should get new ones.

Re: Swapping out stock snare heads for new

How about we try to make it sound good first?

Loosen all the lugs.
Now, facing the drum.... Sit the drum flat on a table, with the strainer throw off facing you, and start at one of the lugs 90degrees away from your strainer, tighten it with your fingers till the lug top just touches the hoop. Go directly across teh drum, tighten that one. Just finger tight, no more. Now, working to the right, do the next lug, up to finger tight, then go directly across the drum and do that one. Go to the right again, and do that lug.... across the drum to the next, then to the right, and across the drum again. Do this until you have all eight lugs finger tight. Take a look at your drum...... you should see the hoop sitting relatively level with the top bearing edge under the head. That space between the head and the top of the hoop,... should look to be the same all the way around the drum. This means the head is level with the bearing edge.

Now, same starting point, at the strainer throw off lug....Make one half turn with your drum key and stop. Go directly across the drum, make one half turn and stop. Go to the first lug on the right, make one half turn and stop. Go directly across the drum, and repreat this criss crossing process till you have completed three trips around the drum. This will have put One and a half full turns on top. Try the drum, without the snares engaged. You may need to make another trip around the lugs with your drum key, only this time do 1/4 turn, keeping to the same pattern to get around teh drum. If thats not tight enough, do one more. That would complete two full turns above finger tight.

Try the drum out.

Repeat this whole process with the resonant side, with the snare throw off disengaged so the snares are loose. Do two and a half full turns above finger tight in 1/2 turn increments.

Try the drum.

Loosen tension on the snares with the adjustment knob, then Engage the snares, using the lever. With the lever engaged bring snare tension up with the adjustment knob until you have contact with the bottom head. Adjust to sound. Check your lever tension, it shouldnt need force to engage.